1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to an apparatus for separating exoskeletal portions of crustaceans such as crawfish and the like from edible portions thereof, the invention particularly relating to apparatus for peeling and simultaneously deveining crawfish and similar crustaceans.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Apparatus capable of removing exoskeletal portions of crustanceans from edible portions thereof, particularly from edible tails of crustaceans such as crawfish and the like, have long been the subject of intensive developmental efforts. However, no effective crawfish "peeling" apparatus has heretofore been developed. Prior devices have included counter-rotating roller members between which deheaded crawfish are fed tail first, the roller members drawing the exoskeletal portions therebetween and essentially extruding the edible tail out of the open portion of the exoskeleton which results on deheading of the crawfish. Such devices have an undesirable tendency to also draw the edible portions of the tail between the roller members, thereby substantially mutilating said edible portions. For this and possibly other reasons, previously known devices are not being used commercially.
One example of a prior crawfish peeling machine is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,660,754, to Roshko, this machine having a pair of opposed counter-rotating rollers which squeeze the edible portions of a deheaded crawfish tail out of the exoskeletal portions. The rollers have flat opposing peripheral surfaces, a jet of water being utilized in an effort to prevent the separated edible tail from following the exoskeletal hull through the rollers. The jet of water is intended to deflect or "wash" the edible tail away from the rollers before the meat is grasped therebetween and mutilated due to passage between the rollers.
Lapeyre et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,987,759, disclose a crawfish peeling apparatus wherein a plurality of crawfish are carried between opposed counter-rotating rollers by a conveyor belt which is carried by one of the rollers. Deheaded crawfish are disposed in rows on the belt immediately preceding apertures in the belt and are fed tail first between the rollers. The exoskeletal portions are caught between the wheels and pulled therebetween, the edible tail portions being essentially extruded from the exoskeletal portions due to the pressure of the rollers and subsequently falling through the apertures in the belt and onto collecting trays. The mechanical operation of separating the exoskeletal portions of the crawfish from the edible tails is essentially identical to that descirbed by Roshko.
The present invention provides apparatus particularly having opposed counter-rotating rollers which peel exoskeletal portions of a deheaded crawfish from edible tail portions thereof, one of the rollers having a concave peripheral edge surface and the other of the rollers having a mating convex peripheral edge surface. The shaped peeling surfaces act to substantially decrease the potential for mutilating the edible tail portions due to slippage of the tail portions between the rollers.